Following their uplifting 43-12 points win at home to London Scottish the previous weekend, the Cornish Pirates once again showed their credentials with this impressive bonus point victory away to Caldy.

This was an eighth versus ninth contest in Round 17 of the ‘Champ’, with the clear indicators being that it should have been close. Also, travelling the long journey to the Wirral was expected to be a challenge, so coming away with five league points in the bag clearly made it extra special.

One change in the Pirates starting line-up saw Harry Yates named to partner Chester Ribbons in the centre, whilst on the bench the one fresh face keen again for action was winger Matty Ward.

After running out on the home team’s Paton Field ground the Pirates applied most of the early pressure against the ‘Ravers’, to give the home side their nickname.

An opening score looked likely to go the Cornish side’s way, and it did, but they had to wait until the quarter of an hour mark before taking a lead. Fly-half Louie Sinclair popped a pass to wing Ben Cambriani, play was taken to the right, and wing Arthur Relton maintained his regular try-scoring exploits with an effort converted by Sinclair.

Caldy responded with try of their own, instigated by their own number 10, Kieran Wilkinson, a former England under 20s and Sale Sharks player. Finding touch with a penalty kick to the right corner, from the ensuing lineout hooker Matt Gallagher was driven over the line for a try converted by Wilkinson, whose brother Connor also played in the centre.

The Pirates were obviously keen to hit back, and they did with a successful catch and drive of their own. Hooker Sol Moody found the hands of skipper Alex Everett, and after the drive to the line it was flanker Luke Ratciff who was identified as the scorer of the team’s second converted try.

The Ravers, who proved their usual spirited selves, were once again well led by their longstanding captain, JJ Dickinson. However, the Pirates maul defence was excellent, and when they took play up to the other end of the field it was prop James French, who had been an early replacement for the injured Alfie Petch, who touched down their third converted try.

Now, quite naturally, achieving a bonus point fourth try was the focus, and it was one delivered when the as usual determined and happy Harry Yates scored near the posts. Sinclair’s conversion also made it four from four attempts slotted suitably between the sticks.

Striving to stay in the contest, after a terrific carry by Dickinson, Caldy’s replacement prop Ryan Higginson’s converted try narrowed the deficit, before a Sinclair penalty made it 14-31.

With a quarter of an hour to go the Pirates looked a little more than odds on winners, and it a view surely confirmed when number 8 Tomiwa Agbongbon chose a diagonal run to score wide out on the left.

Caldy’s replacement scrum half Tom Akehurst was sharp to spot his chance to snipe to the line for the home side’s third and final converted try, whilst the afternoon’s points scoring was finished off by Pirates’ replacement wing Matty Ward who made it all look easy when he ran thirty metres cooly dot the ball down.

The Ravers have only won once in nine previous encounters against the Pirates – that a solitary 15-14 points victory achieved at Caldy’s then snow-covered Paton Field in December 2022.

For this latest encounter, although played on Valentine’s Day this was going to be anything but a romantic affair, whilst for the Pirates it was also a 760 miles round trip which proved well worth it. The win saw them leapfrog their opponents up to eighth in the ‘Champ’ league table, whilst it also increases their chance to ultimately and importantly make it into the top six.

Commenting at the end of Saturday’s contest, Cornish Pirates’ coach Joe Walsh said:

“We are absolutely delighted with the win as selection has been difficult and dictated by not having a lot of bodies available in training. A six-day turnaround is also not ideal, so there is credit to the boys who have really come together this week and have likely put in our best performance of the season.

“I felt everyone did well, including young men like Louie Sinclair and Angus Mawson. Also, our replacements made an impact when they came on, and especially those guys picking up new roles. Returning from injury, Matt Cannon impressed, and young tighthead Ben Woodmansey showed up when he came on, so fair play to him.

“Importantly, when we needed to hold strong, we did, and it was good to see the dynamism displayed by try-scorers Harry Yates, Tomi Agbongbon, and Matty Ward.”

Joe added:

“There are obviously big challenges ahead, and the emotional side of the game will also have real importance, such was the case today when our energy just had to be right.”

Caldy:   15 Charlie Hyde 14 Rhys Tudor 13 Connor Wilkinson 12 Michael Barlow 11 Will Robinson 10 Kieran Wilkinson 9 Ollie Wynn; 1 Monty Weatherby 2 Matt Gallagher 3 Nathan Rushton 4 Max Loboda 5 Sal Olyott 6 Callum Ridgway 7 Jordan Jones 8 JJ Dickinson (captain).

Replacements:   16 Ollie Hearn 17 Joe Sproston 18 Ryan Higginson 19 Dan Owen 20 Matt Rabbette 21 Tom Akehurst 22 Lewis Barker 23 Jacob Mitchell.

Cornish Pirates:   15 Angus Mawson 14 Arthur Relton 13 Chester Ribbons 12 Harry Yates 11 Ben Cambriani 10 Louie Sinclair 9 Dan Hiscocks; 1 Alessandro Heaney 2 Sol Moody 3 Alfie Petch 4 Milo Hallam 5 Josh King 6 Alex Everett (captain) 7 Luke Ratcliff 8 Tomi Agbongbon.

Replacements:   16 Matt Pritchard 17 James French 18 Ben Woodmansey 19 Matt Cannon 20 Rory Suttor 21 Will Rigelsford 22 Arwel Robson 23 Matty Ward.

Scorers: 

Caldy – Gallagher, Higginson, Akehurst; cons: K. Wilkinson (3).

Cornish Pirates – tries: Relton, Ratcliff, French, Yates, Agbongbon, Ward; cons: Sinclair (4); pen: Sinclair.

Referee:   Jonathan Cook